WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – As summer slowly fades to fall in Westchester County, parents and children alike have been hard at work, making final preparations as they prepare to go back to school.

With most schools set to open their doors shortly after Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 1, many students have been soaking up the last sun of the summer while parents have been scrambling to pick out new outfits and all the necessary school supplies for the upcoming year.

Greenburgh resident Stephen Thomas said at Target in Mount Vernon that he was picking things out for his two kids, Jake and Jarrod, while they were back at home playing around the pool.

“It’s the same way every year, really. Their mother and I do most of the shopping, we only make them come once so we know we’re getting the right sizes,” he said. “It’s a hectic time balancing work and making sure they’re ready to go.”

While many parents are eager to see their kids heading back to school, some children are just as ready to get back in the classroom.

In Mamaroneck, Jessie and Shane Zimmerman – who will be entering the fourth and sixth grades, respectively – said that they are looking forward to being back with their friends every day.

“The summer is great at first, but it drags on toward the end,” Shane noted. “I’m ready to be back with my friends every day, even at school. School isn’t so bad.”

At Target, employees said that the store has been flooded with parents and children looking to pick up final items.

“It’s definitely been busier than usual. It tends to start toward the end of June with college kids and then picks up again in August with nearby students,” Vince D’Angelo, a two-year employee, said. “It comes in waves. Before Christmas and the middle of the summer are probably two of our busiest times.”

Comments (3)

Would live parents invest more in education by cutting the buying and spending more on doing homework with their children and being more supportive of the learning process. Looking good doesn't mean one will learn better. We place too much on making a fashion statement than in making good grades.